Electric discharge lamps of the type utilizing an electric discharge in a gas at low pressure in the presence of a low pressure of mercury are well known. Fluorescent lamps are a type of such discharge lamps wherein an energizable phosphor is included in the lamp.
Very high output (VHO) fluorescent lamps employing one or more heat shields for creating a cool region at one or both ends of the lamps are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,511 discloses such a heat shield and, furthermore, suggests applying an amalgam forming material to the heat shield. Such lamps have also included a separate getter structure for removing contaminating materials generated by operation of the lamp. The separate getter usually required an additional supporting structure within the lamp and increased the cost of manufacture. Also, such tubes have often employed disintegration shields of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,750, which also required an extra support wire.